


Olympic Dreams

by uofmdragon



Series: Wisconsin Avengers [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Hockey, Clint Barton & Kate Bishop Friendship, Clint Barton & Steve Rogers Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 17:04:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16580507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uofmdragon/pseuds/uofmdragon
Summary: In April 2017, NHL declared that they would not be taking a break for the 2018 Olympics and its players were not going to be reacting.  Clint and Phil deal with that news and Clint starts thinking about his future.





	Olympic Dreams

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jadesymb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadesymb/gifts).



> This was completed for the Marvel Hates Trump auction. Jadesymb requested banter and some cuddling for ClintCouslon. She didn't have a request for which universe, so I decided on hockey, but you know Clint Barton and many of the team had opinions regarding the NHL ban and other hockey events.
> 
> Lapilus was my beta and sounding board.

**April 2017**

Phil unlocked the door to Clint's apartment. Well, it was his apartment now, because they'd moved in with one another a few months ago. They'd also somehow adopted multiple college students, due to Kate spending her breaks with Clint and Kate bringing her friends. Phil was never quite sure who was going to be home.

"Hello?" Phil called out as he stepped in, placing his keys key holder, before going over to the closet.

"Hey Phil," Clint called out.

Phil smiled at the sound of Clint's voice. "You're home early."

"Yeah, Stark cancelled afternoon practice." 

Phil grunted, but Stark had a habit of being unpredictable. He wandered into the kitchen, sniffing to see if Clint had started dinner, but there was nothing. He went to dig in the fridge.

"Hey Phil, how would you feel if I wasn't an NHL goalie?" Clint said, sounding closer.

"Gee, Clint, I don't know if I could stand being with you if you weren't doing the job it took me months to realize you were doing," Phil replied, giving Clint a quizzical look, because what kind of question was that.

Clint was looking back at him with a serious expression and appeared to find no humor in his joke.

Phil frowned. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

"I am seriously asking that, because I am seriously considering leaving the league."

"Why would you…?!" Phil started. "Did that new player say something?! I will talk to Nick and he's going to find his ass... someplace else!"

Clint smiled, arching an eyebrow. "Someplace else? Is that your best threat."

Sighing as he closed the door to the fridge. "I don't know hockey towns, some place miserable, but not Anchorage, because that team doesn't need anymore assholes."

"I love you," Clint said, reaching out for him.

Phil leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips. "I love you, too. But, you talking about quitting is really surprising. I thought you were happy."

"I wasn't planning on quitting, just not play for the NHL."

"So who'd you play for?"

"Team USA, maybe?"

Phil pulled back to study him. "Can't you do both?"

Clint shook his head. "NHL announced today that they will not be putting a break in for the 2018 Olympics and NHL players will not be placed onto their country's teams."

"Fuck, seriously?"

Clint sighed and nodded. "Yeah, so… I don't know… I'm a Stanley Cup winner, a Vezina trophy winner. I kind of thought I'd be picked for the team in 2018 and we'd be going to Korea."

"We?" Phil questioned. 

"Yeah, you'd be coming, too."

"Sure, about that?"

"Yeah, if you told me know, I'd get Max to shove you into a shipping crate," Clint replied. "Maybe organize a protest with your regulars."

"They do love you more than me," Phil admitted. "What are the others saying?"

"Cap would have gotten picked, too. Thor would have played for Norway. Groot, too." 

"He's from Norway?"

"I never remember where's from," Clint whined.

"What did Stark say?" Phil asked, curious.

"That he was pretty much the only owner for a break and that everyone was more concerned about their pocketbooks."

"Well, Tony Stark is richer than all of them." Phil pointed out.

"Yeah," Clint agreed.

"Why don't you go talk to him? Or talk to Steve," Phil suggested. "Let 'em know you were kind of thinking about it."

"You wouldn't care?" Clint asked.

"I love you, Clint, if you decided you wanted to retire from the NHL, I'd support you. Besides, you've got plenty of money saved up, so it's not like you'd have to rush to fall back on anything."

"You going to make me get a job?"

"Yes, because I've seen you in the off season. You get bored."

"I do not!"

"How many times did you drive down to Barney's last summer?"

"He needed help fixing up the house!"

"He wanted help painting a room."

"Well, rather than paint over paneling, it was better to put in drywall and paint that!"

Phil sighed, shaking his head. Barney had never complained about his brother's "help" to Clint, but Phil had heard about it. Personally, Phil was grateful when Clint had gone down to see his brother, Clint was used to expending lots of energy during the season. In the off season, well, if Phil was a woman, there'd be little Clints running around here by now. A Clint with nothing to do was a bored Clint which would lead toward sex marathons and frankly, Phil could only do so many of those, or maybe to Clint building a house on his own. Phil's eyes narrowed at the thought. Yes, he could picture Clint doing that, though he'd probably renovate some run down place.

"What's with that look?" Clint asked.

"Nothing," Phil said, wiping it from his face with what he hoped was a pleasant smile. "How about we get Chinese and cuddle on the couch? It's midweek, that means for sure no Kate."

"Just cuddle?"

Phil leaned in and kissed Clint again. "Well, I suppose I have to work that chinese off of you." After all, it wasn't the off season yet…

**January 2018**

"Quit your necking, I'm here!" Kate yelled from the doorway.

"No," Clint whined softly, refusing to leave his spot where he was curled up and resting on Phil's lap.

"You don't have to move," Phil murmured, fingers stroking through Clint's hair again. Well, at least that was a blessing. 

There was a thud as Kate's boot went flying and another thud as the other boot went, probably in the opposite direction. Phil sighed and if Clint looked up, he could be sure that Phil was wincing as whirlwind Kate came home. Kate strode into the room, tossing her jacket on the empty and looking at them. "I have news."

"You're marrying America?" Clint suggested.

"What?! No! America and I aren't like that!"

Clint glanced toward and met Phil's eyes to see the amusement. Kate's denial was all kinds of adorable.

"Of course not," Phil agreed.

"Are you going to ask me my news?" Kate asked.

"I thought we might wait for Natasha," Clint replied. 

"Yes, Natasha should always be here for news," Phil agreed. Clint smiled at the snark in his voice.

"Pfft, Natasha already knows," Kate said. "I just have to tell you two losers."

"Hey! What have you won lately?" Clint asked. "Ms. My team didn't even make it the finals"

"Yeah, well, I've two opportunities to go to finals now."

Clint's eyes opened into slits. "How do you have two opportunities for finals?"

"Two different tournaments," Kate replied, smiling.

"Just because you're in a tournament, doesn't mean there's a championship on the line," Phil pointed out.

Kate hesitated. "I guess, we don't really call that one a championship. Still, there's pool play and a tournament and I get to travel."

"Travel?" Clint repeated.

Kate nodded.

Clint smiled. "Where you going Katie-Kate?"

Kate hesitated, lips twitching, before stating, "PyeongChang."

Clint pushed himself to a sitting position, moving to the edge of the couch. "You got chosen for the Olympic team?"

Kate nodded, smiling widely. Shrieking moments later as Clint swept her up into a bear hug.

"You're going to kick some ass and bring us home the gold?" Clint asked.

"That's the plan! Not to let those Canucks take it this time!" Kate agreed as Clint set her back down on the floor. She slugged his shoulder. "You should have taken a year!"

"Yeah, maybe… I can still go to Beijing."

"You're going to be old in four years!"

"Hey!" Phil objected. 

"In hockey years, he's going to be an old man and some rookie is going to have a faster mitt!" Katie pointed out.

Clint snorted. "We'll see."

"Whatever, I need to get some sleep" Kate said, turning to leave the room. "Natasha and Bucky are coming with me!"

"You realize they're going to be treating this like a honeymoon!"

"A working one, since Bucky is coaching the goalies!" Kate called back.

"Well, at least Bucky won't be coming home with a gold," Clint replied, looking over at Phil.

Phil tilted his head. "You're a little jealous aren't you?"

Clint sighed. "Yeah, kind of…"

"You'll always be a gold medal boyfriend in my mind?" Phil suggested.

Clint snorted in laughter. "That was so lame."

"Well, I think I'm ancient in hockey years, so you can deal."

"Hey, I didn't call you that!"

"I know," Phil said, pouting a bit. "But she hurt my feelings." He opened his arms. "Make me feel better?"

Clint smiled, going to curl back into Phil. He sighed as he found just the right position. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Phil leaned over to kiss Clint's forehead. "I'll love you even when you're hockey old. Though I still think you're going to need another job."

"I'll come work at the coffee shop."

Phil made a noncommittal noise, but this time he didn't verbally object. It was progress.

**February 2018**

"She's going to be insufferable," Clint stated as he watched the women's hockey medal ceremony.

"Jealous?" Phil asked, glancing over at Clint.

"You ask me that everytime we watch a game," Clint said, turning to look at him. "Do you want me to jealous?"

"It would perfectly understandable for you to be jealous. You were hoping to be there."

"Fucking NHL," Clint muttered.

Phil shook his head at the common refrain. "You're okay?"

"I'm fine, but we both know how Kate can be…"

Phil snorted. "Which she does just to get under her skin!"

Clint regarded him for a long moment. 

"She does. She's like a younger sister, she totally wants your approval, but she also wants to irritate the hell out of you."

"Everyone likes to irritate the hell out me," Clint grumbled.

"That's true," Phil agreed, ignoring Clint's side eye. "Natasha and Bucky are going to come home and tell you about everything you missed and pretend they totally didn't get you anything, but you know they already have like five things for you and only one thing for me by now."

"Now, who sounds jealous?"

"Melinda would bring me five things if she had gone and get you only one. It's the best friend rule."

Clint's lip ticked up in a half-smile. "Yeah, that's true. You know I'll share whatever they got me."

Phil leaned in and kissed him softly. "You're sweet, I'm going to miss that." He shouldn't, but really how could he not? Especially when this conversation had started months ago with Clint asking if Phil cared about his hockey fame and ability to win games. As if, that was why Phil was with him.

"Miss that?" Clint said, sounding confused. "You going to somewhere?"

"Yeah, I'm going to have to."

"Where you going?" Clint asked, brows drawing together as he studied Phil.

"Well, you haven't won anything big lately. No Stanley Cup, No Olympic medals, so I'm going to have to leave you... for Kate."

Clint snorted. "Darling, just one problem with that."

"Oh?" Phil asked, arching an eyebrow. 

"You're gay."

"Well, I guess, I'm straight for Olympic Gold." Phil smiled widely at him.

Clint stared at him, before chuckling softly. He pulled Phil in and kissed him firmly. "Sure, I can't convince you."

"Maybe if you win the Cup again. It was kind of fun having it around."

"Just so long as we get it before Wade."

"Well, at least we know how to thoroughly disinfect it now."

Clint winced, lying back on the couch and pulling Phil down with him. They shifted, so that Phil could rest his head on Clint's chest. 

"You know I have no desire to leave you, right?" Phil asked softly.

"Yeah, I love you, too."

"Still, when everyone gets home, I'm going to have fake dump you for Kate."

Clint sighed loudly. "You know when you do that you're going to end up sleeping on the couch."

"Well, I guess, it'll be real then if she accepts," Phil said, twisting to look at him.

"Better hope she does then," Clint replied, smiling back. 

**September 2018**

Clint crossed his arms as he watched the unveiling of that thing. 

"Wow," Steve said, softly from next to him. 

"Yeah," Clint said, shuddering when the eyes continued moving at different speeds and directions. "When do we play them again?"

"Sooner than we'd like," Steve said.

"Stark isn't planning anything like this, is he?"

"Not yet," Darcy said, taking a seat, without looking up from her phone. "But I'm watching to see how fans respond."

"You mean, we could have one?" Pietro asked, looking over at her.

"Well, some sort of mascot." Darcy replied. "They're kind of popular."

"We haven't had one before," Pietro objected.

"Avengers are fairly new." Darcy reminded him. "Anchorage has one!"

"Yeah, that blue thing." Steve agreed.

"Frost Giant," Clint corrected. "They're the Anchorage Frost Giants, it's a Frost Giant."

"Yeah, well, Stark is thinking about it."

"Couldn't we just put Wade in a costume?" Clint suggested.

"Wade would show up in spandex with no underwear. We know this!" Darcy pointed out. "My eyes cannot unsee it!"

Steve looked over at Clint, arching an eyebrow. "2022? One way or the other?"

"You've got a deal, Cap." Clint agreed.

"I want to go," Pietro said. "Maybe I'll take a sabbatical."

Steve chuckled. "We'd love to have you, but kid, you're going to be taking over leadership of this team by then."

"What?" PIetro asked, frowning. "That's a job for… Oh, I'll be Old Man by then."

Clint cackled, wrapping his arm around Pietro's shoulders. "Being an old man is pretty sweet."

"For you!"

"Yeah, Clint agreed, thinking of all the good things in his life. "It really is."

**Author's Note:**

> In case it isn't obvious, they're talking about the Philadelphia Flyer's new mascot, Gritty, at the end there.


End file.
